Thinking about doing some home improvement projects this weekend or soon? We bet that it's likely that paint will be involved. So what do you do with your leftover paint?

Your best bet for unused paint is to give it away (to a school, community group, or local theater) or use it up (such as on a shed or basement wall). If you aren't able to do either of these, then choose from these disposal methods.

Oil-Based Paint

Oil-base or alkyd paint is considered hazardous waste and should never be disposed of in the trash. Check with your local waste management department to see if your community has a collection center or offers a designated day when you can drop off your unused paint. Some local jurisdictions offer Spring and Fall clean-up days during which collection crews will come through your neighborhood to get your items, including oil-based paint, for proper disposal.

Water-Based Paint

Water-base or latex paint isn't hazardous, so you don't need to take it to a collection site. Instead, you can put it in the trash if you turn it into a solid. A small amount of paint will dry in a few days when the lid is left off. Mixing in cat litter or sawdust speeds up the process. A solidifier hardens paint in a few minutes (you can see one example at CobZorb). Then, dispose of the lid and can separately.